Summary
IPOL Heywood Chapter 4 summary
- Course
- Institution
- Book
full summary to the chapter 4 of Andrew Heywood's book Politics about democracy & legitimacy. highlighted, summarised and adapted to the IPOL lecture
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
More summaries for
-
Summary Politics Heywood Chapters 1-7, 9-10, 12-17, 19-20, 5th edition 2019
-
Summary of Introduction to Political Science Part 2- Final
-
Summary Introduction to Political Science Part 1- Midterm (Readings and Lectures)
Seller
Follow
minaglusac
Reviews received
Content preview
Chapter 4 - Democracy and LegitimacyLegitimacy: broadly means rightfulness, conferring on an order or command an authoritative or
binding character, thus transforming power into authority. Philosophers see legitimacy in moral
or rational terms, whereas political scientists view it rather in sociological terms, meaning
willingness to comply with a system of rule regardless of how this is achieved.
● How do states maintain legitimacy?
Max Weber categorized particular ‘systems of domination’ to help identify the basis on
which legitimacy was established.
1. Traditional authority
- People obey this type of regime because it has always existed
- A body of concrete rules that can’t be questioned because things have
always been that way
- Usually found in tribes or small groups in forms of patriarchism
- Linked to hereditary systems of power and privilege (survival of dynasty
and monarchy for example)
2. Charismatic authority
- The power of an individual’s personality/charisma
- Operates entirely through the capacity of a leader to make a direct and
personal appeal to followers as a kind of hero or saint
- Underpinned by cults of personality -> manufacturing charisma
- Consequences: 1. The followers will submit and obey because the
leader seems unquestionable, becoming followers to their hero
2. The system cannot outlive the its founding figure
- E.g. Hitler, Fidel Castro, Mussolini, Napoleon, Colonel Gaddafi
3. Legal-rational authority
- Typical form of authority in modern states
- The power of the leading figures in government is determined by formal,
constitutional rules which constrain or limit what they are able to do
- Less likely to be abused or give rise to injustice
- Limited government
- Promotes efficiency through a rational division of labor
- Problem: it can create an inhuman social environment led by
bureaucracy
● Any modern societies facing a crisis of legitimation?
Crisis in legitimation has different causes. For example, Neo Marxists have said that
there is an inherent difficulty of legitimizing a political system that is based on unequal
, class power. (Habermas, Offe) When the government tries to give into the expansion of
social rights in order to build legitimacy in a system completely reliant on expansion and
profit, it is impossible to find a balance between maintaining profit and keeping the
country’s economy competitive while also satisfy popular demands for social security
and welfare rights. -> crisis tendencies (Habermas)
Another cause of a crisis in legitimation is the government overload (Anthony King,
Richard Rose), which describes a process where there is a lot of pressure on the
government to satisfy demands of pressure groups, as well as politicians and political
parties outbidding one another during elections in order to get into power. There is also a
rise in corporatism, which can lead the government agencies to depend on organized
groups, often leading to a significant shift in political and ideological priorities. E.g. the
emergence of the New Right as a response to the fiscal crisis of the welfare state
Crisis of legitimation: Arab Spring (2011), Eastern Europe (1990s), Vietnam (1970s),
global financial crisis of 2007-09, trend towards neoliberalism, globalization changing the
way the state governs
● Why is political legitimacy so often linked to the claim to be democratic?
Because democracy can be seen to promote legitimacy in different ways.
1. Consent
-> expands legitimacy by giving people more opportunities to be more active in politics
(act of voting, protesting, joining political parties, interest groups)
2. Democratic governance as a notion of compromise, conciliation and negotiation
-> bringing opposing groups of though together, living in relative peace
3. Democracy as a feedback system to promote political stability
-> legitimation crises can be managed effectively
-> undermines potential for civil strife, revolution, rebellion
-> governments can be removed and policies can be changed in a democracy
However:
- Growing dissatisfaction with the democratic systems in mature democratic
societies, portrayed in a popular trend of disengagement with the political
process
- New political forces have emerged to at least threaten conventional democratic
structure
- Populism & democracy?
:) both are for majority rule and popular sovereignty
:) give political voice to significant sections to the public that feel excluded from
the collective decision-making process
:( anti pluralist, deny legitimacy of opponents
:( anti liberal (nothing should be allowed to stand in the way of popular will)
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller minaglusac. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.90. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
81849 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now